Gourmet

Tea culture may immediately be associated with Kyoto, but did you know that the roots of tea culture in not just Ishikawa, but Japan as a whole, stretch all the way to Komatsu?

When the third Kaga lord Maeda Toshitsune retired to Komatsu Castle, he promoted the flourishing of many crafts and traditions, including that of tea. To this end, Senso Soshitsu, the grandson of Sen no Rikyu and founder of the Urasenke school of tea ceremony, was invited to Komatsu to spearhead the development of this tea culture. In that sense, it could be said that Komatsu was the initial breeding ground for one of the main branches of tea culture.

Furthermore, it was at the Choboya Chaho tea shop that tea leaves were first produced in the whole of Hokuriku! That 370-year-old tea shop still stands today, where you can find the Ishikawa-unique “Kaga Bocha” made from roasted tea stems. Experiences for roasting your own Kaga Bocha, or tea-tasting with traditional pots are also offered!

Choboya Chaho Experiences:
– Roast-your-own Kaga Bocha (1100 yen, 20 mins)
– Traditional Tea-tasting (1500 yen, 45 mins)
*DM @chooboya with ①No. of people and ②Desired date and time, at least 2 days in advance